The pretty-as-a-picture French town in a wine lover’s paradise

Forty kilometres from Bordeaux at the market town of Libourne, the road crosses the lazy, swan-paddled Dordogne River. Then houses and convenience stores peel away and rolling countryside appears, stitched together with rows of vines.

This is a horizontal place. On your left, only the Church of St John rises above Pomerol village like an exclamation mark announcing the pleasures of the vineyards beneath.

Pomerol is legendary. So is Petrus, Vieux Chateau Certan and Cheval Blanc, all labels that any wine aficionado would love to try – though perhaps just once, given the prices they command.

Saint-Emilion is World Heritage listed, and not just for its wine pedigree.Credit: iStock

Driving through the vineyards feels like falling Alice-like into a land of legends. Wine estates are run from baroque mansions, although time doesn’t stand entirely still. Chateau La Dominique has a shiny red facade designed by Jean Nouvel, and Chateau Cheval Blanc is a twisted alien spaceship in white concrete.

But all this is by the way. Even those who find cellar doors dull can appreciate Saint-Emilion, a legendary appellation in wines but also a delightful town that rises unexpectedly from flat vineyards in an elegant pile of golden limestone.

Saint-Emilion has everything a good French town ought to have: cobblestones and cloisters, squares filled with cast-iron cafe tables under the shade of plane trees, chocolate shops and dozing cats. If a Netflix series ripe with French cliches hasn’t been made here yet, it will be coming soon.

History rises up through the alleys of Saint-Emilion.

And yes, of course Saint-Emilion has gourmet restaurants, such as creative Le Clos du Roy and Logis de la Cadenne, whose truffle risotto is indulgent perfection. Les Belles Perdrix just outside town has a Michelin star and gorgeous setting in a grand-cru vineyard.

For something informal, plunder Le Bis by Baud et Millet for any of 50 French cheeses and eat them on the spot with a hunk of baguette – and a glass of wine, of course.

No surprise that Saint-Emilion has several wine merchants’ shops too. Call in at Comptoir des Vignobles for a full collection of top wines from 1945 onwards. A splurge is tempting, but you can otherwise get a regularly priced bottle of Bordeaux at a local convenience store and still be satisfied, especially once on your second glass.

Here, you’ll feel like an extra in a French movie.Credit: iStock

Otherwise, head to a café for a coffee and macaron. The Saint-Emilion speciality is as soft and golden as the limestone from which the whole town is built. No lurid green or pink modern macarons here: the recipe dates from 1620.

You’ll feel as if you’re an extra in a French movie as you sit on a café terrace and watch passing shoppers with baguettes under their arms, and ladies dragging pooping lapdogs on leads.

Saint-Emilion is World Heritage listed, and not just for its wine pedigree. The town is steeped in history, starting underground at the eighth-century catacombs where Saint-Emilion’s eponymous saint once lived, conducting miracles. Before wine producers, pilgrims brought prosperity.

History rises up through alleys and flights of steps to culminate in gravelled terraces with views over red roofs. You can patrol fortifications built by the English when they controlled this region in the 12th century.

The Tour du Roy is the high point, 118 steps up. You can see Pomerol’s church once more across six kilometres of undulating vineyards.

The Bordeaux region doesn’t wow with dramatic scenery. You could fall into a coma waiting for a hill to appear. But Saint-Emilion’s surroundings are as rolling as you get, and its wine estates small and family-run, making for pleasant exploration.

Take a walk into the countryside, or rent a bike at the tourist office and pedal. The weather is jaunty in this part of France. You’ll enjoy the breezes and the byways, and Saint-Emilion rises above the neatly pegged vines, pretty as a picture.

The details

Crusie
Uniworld River Cruises has an eight-day Brilliant Bordeaux cruise return from Bordeaux, with regular departures between March and October. From $4899 a person including accommodation, meals and beverages, gratuities and excursions to Saint-Emilion and other destinations. See uniworld.com

Fly
Etihad flies from Melbourne and Sydney via Abu Dhabi to Paris, with codeshare connections to Bordeaux on Air France. See etihad.com

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saint-emilion-tourisme.com

The writer was a guest of Uniworld River Cruises.